Draft Digest: Wide Open Spaces

Sometimes the packs just don't go your way. How will you handle these tough choices?

Pack 1, Pick 2

The Picks So Far:

I'm a pretty big fan of this card (although still not very happy to first-pick it). Cards that play well both in and against aggro have skyrocketed in value. This is why cheap removal like Magma Spray and Compulsory Rest are cards that I value much higher than cards like Electrify or even Cartouche of Strength. Remember not to be married to your first pick, though, because this pack has options in a variety of colors.

Naga Vitalist, while a good card, doesn't have a place in every green deck. It's at its best in U/G and B/G. But in my experience, R/G and W/G just don't want the card. They are more aggressive in nature, and something like a Bitterblade Warrior will simply work better with the rest of your cards. Given that I already started with a white card, this does make Naga Vitalist worse.

Vizier of Deferment is a fine Magic card. I found it quite difficult to evaluate early on, but after playing, it became apparent that it's much better on blocks. The problem is that, after you cast it, too often it just sits there unable to do anything. A 2/2 body just isn't good enough. The card is substantially worse than Unwavering Initiate, and I think our last option just has the highest upside.

Cartouche of Ambition is the best black common, and some players would even say it's one of the best commons in the format as a whole. While I don't give it such a high praise, it's an extremely important card. Cartouche of Ambition is completely savage towards aggressive decks. In plenty of matches, you will cast the card and just win. Lifelink is just too powerful of a mechanic, and the ability to put it on a larger creature while simultaneously harming your opponent's battlefield presence is very good. I'm not over the moon to second-pick it here, but I'm not upset either.

Pack 1, Pick 5

The Picks So Far:

Honestly, the next couple picks of this draft are going to be very important. We could be any mix of the Mardu colors, so trying to find which of the three is open will be paramount to a successful draft. I haven't been a huge fan of B/R, but I am willing to draft it if that's what my seat is telling me. Let's see what this pack has to offer!

First, we can disregard the white card, Those Who Serve, since it's just too far behind our other options. I am also going to disregard Unnatural Stamina. While I do like that card and black is the most common color in this pool, there are enough combat tricks that I don't want to take one so early. Not only are they replaceable, but you can only play so many combat tricks, especially because plenty of your noncreature slots will be dedicated to removal and Cartouches.

So with that as the case, which red card should we take? Emberhorn Minotaur is certainly the better card, but that doesn't make it correct. In this format, if I don't play a two-drop on turn 2, I feel substantially behind. Hence I want most of my decks to have a minimum of eight two-drops. Some of these decks don't even play four-drops, and when they do, there are plenty others to fill the slot (although Emberhorn Minotaur may be the best of the bunch).

Overall, I just think I would rather take a card that is more important to my aggressive red deck (note: I could in theory end up W/B) than a card that is less important, yet more powerful. So I'm going to take Pathmaker Initiate here.

About Ryan Saxe

Ryan has been playing Magic for over ten years and is an avid limited player in New York City's competitive scene. Known for his analytical approach to the game, Ryan prides himself in his efficacy for problem solving. Every set bears an onslaught of new puzzles, and taking these head on is what he does best.